Introduced before 1831 and probably grown by the American Indians, Boston Marrow winter squash was considered the standard for winter squash for many decades. It has also been called Autumnal Marrow. The vigorous, vine-style plants produce generous yields of intriguing fruits with bulbous bases and narrower, sometimes crooked necks, each one 12-16 inches long, 9-12 inches in diameter, and weighing 10-20 pounds. Their intense, reddish orange skin is shallowly ridged and rough, and their yellow-orange flesh is thick, fine-textured, slightly moist, and sweet. Winter squash takes longer to ripen on the vine than summer squash, but it's definitely worth the wait because of how extremely well it keeps. Winter squash varieties have tougher exteriors than their summer counterparts, so they're much hardier when it comes to storage and keep for months at a time. Boston Marrow winter squash freezes well too! Winter squashes also have their own unique set of delicious culinary uses. They're mainstays when it comes to baking, roasting, and stuffing, and can't be beat when it comes to creating all of those comfort foods that make long winters more tolerable. Like Boston Marrow pie (similar to pumpkin pie, only better)! To increase the longevity of your squash, harvest with at least 2 inches of stem still intact.